Infant Formula Recalled due to Defective Caps by Abbott
Key Takeaways:
- Abbott Inc. has issued a limited recall for certain infant formula brands due to potentially defective caps that may lead to product spoilage.
- Specific 2-ounce bottles of Ready-to-Feed liquid products including Similac Pro-Total Comfort, Similac 360 Total Care, Similac Special Care 24, and Pedialyte Electrolyte Solution are affected by this recall.
- Most of the recalled bottles were initially distributed to hospitals, clinics, and vendors across the United States, as well as Puerto Rico, and other various countries.
- Despite the recall, Abbott continues to produce the formula on a separate production line for hospitals and healthcare providers, and the product remains available in other packaging sizes at retail stores.
- The recall was due to potentially defective caps, not due to internal contamination noted in unrelated circumstances earlier this year.
A recent announcement confirms a limited recall of infant formula by Abbott Inc., cited due to potentially faulty caps that might lead to product spoilage and subsequent health issues. Abbott reassures that this incident is minor and would not largely influence the total U.S. supply of the product.
Potential Impacts of the Defective Caps
The initiation of this recall came after discoveries that certain bottle caps might be defective, potentially leading to the product spoiling. If infants consume a spoiled product, it could result in vomiting and diarrhea.
Abbott elaborates that this recall represents less than a single day’s worth of the total volume of infant formula consumed within the U.S. The prognosis suggests minimal impact on the broader U.S. infant formula supplies, the company clarified in a press statement.
Scope of the Recall
Highlighted in the recall are specific 2-ounce bottles of Ready-to-Feed liquid products for infants and children, manufactured at Abbott’s Ohio plant. Various brands, including Similac Pro-Total Comfort, Similac 360 Total Care, Similac Special Care 24, and Pedialyte Electrolyte Solution, are affected.
The Illinois-based organization underlines that consumption of the recalled product might induce vomiting and diarrhea in the patients. As a precautionary measure, it advises customers to not use any formula included in this particular recall. A comprehensive list of the affected lot numbers can be accessed through the company’s dedicated website.
Distribution of the Recalled Products
Most of the recalled formula bottles were initially distributed to hospitals, clinics, and vendors across the United States, including Puerto Rico, with additional lots sent to various countries. The company has dispatched two more lots to Canada, Curacao, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Current Production and Availability
In spite of the recall, Abbott continues to manufacture the formula on a separate production line dedicated to hospitals and healthcare providers, also increasing production at its other facilities. The formula product remains available for purchase in other packaging sizes at various retail stores.
In unrelated news from earlier this year, an Abbott plant briefly closed due to a major product recall and an investigation related to four bacterial infections in infants who consumed formula produced there. Two of these infants sadly passed away. Subsequent inspection by federal regulators uncovered violations at the Michigan plant, including bacterial contamination and a leaky roof. Abbott states, however, that its products have not been directly associated with the infant cases, which involved different bacterial strains, CBS News reports.
